North Slope Borough, Alaska

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.9 | 10,603 people · 16th most distressed in Alaska
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North Slope Borough, AK falls within the normal range for household financial distress at 37.9 — 2318th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress, where debt and delinquency levels sit above the national average. Within Alaska, it ranks 16th of 30 counties. It scores lower than all 2 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. North Slope Borough's primary driver is Consumer Credit Distress at 58.5 — above the national median.

Consumer Credit Distress Primary driver 58.5
Debt in Collections 39
Medical Debt 46
Auto Loan Delinquency 76
Credit Card Delinquency 31
Uninsured Rate 86
Subprime Credit Population 83
Economic Vitality 30.1
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 5
Rent-to-Income Ratio 27
Business Formation Rate 95
House Price Change (YoY) 43
Housing Cost Burden 19.7
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 6
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 5
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 5
Homeownership Rate 95
Structural Poverty 18.9
Unemployment Rate 30
Poverty Rate 38
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 31
Disability Rate 12
Transfer Income Dependency 5
Legal Distress 5.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 5

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. North Slope Borough
North Slope Borough, AK 37.9 Normal —
Northwest Arctic Borough, AK 55.5 Elevated +17.6
Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK 44.5 Normal +6.6

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. North Slope Borough
Clark County, IL 37.9 Normal 0.0
Sanpete County, UT 37.9 Normal -0.0
Daviess County, IN 37.9 Normal +0.0
Lake County, MN 37.9 Normal -0.0
Crawford County, IA 38.0 Normal +0.1

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for North Slope Borough as a CSV file.

Find Help in North Slope Borough

Find an Attorney

Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Alaska Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 907-272-7469

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving North Slope Borough residents at no cost.

Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) 1-888-478-2572

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for North Slope Borough, Alaska?

    North Slope Borough has a County Distress Index score of 37.9 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,318th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 16th in Alaska out of 30 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in North Slope Borough?

    The primary driver of distress in North Slope Borough is Consumer Credit Distress, where the county scores 58.5 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Debt in Collections, Medical Debt, Auto Loan Delinquency.

  • How does North Slope Borough compare to neighboring counties?

    North Slope Borough (37.9) can be compared to its 2 neighboring counties: Northwest Arctic Borough, AK (55.5); Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, AK (44.5).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). North Slope Borough's score of 37.9 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power North Slope Borough's CDI score?

    North Slope Borough's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of North Slope Borough?

    North Slope Borough, Alaska has a population of approximately 10,603 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a small county.